El Chapo – The life and times of a notorious drug lord1:11

: Infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is one of the most notoriously dangerous and successful drug lords in history. He is on trial for his crimes in New York as his history of crime and violence has caught up to him.

Fox News reports that Mr Trump has said the construction of a wall would cost around $US5.7 billion ($8 billion).

The Texas Republican then urged his colleagues to pass the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order Act — or El Chapo Act — which would divert drug proceeds from cartel bosses to fund border security.

Senator Cruz first introduced the bill in April 2017 and reintroduced it in January.

The reintroduction puts pressure on politicians to put in place a border security spending bill.

A bipartisan group of politicians on Monday tentatively agreed to provide $US1.4 billion ($A2 billion) for border barriers, including 88 kilometres of new fencing along the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Drug proceeds could go a long way in securing the southern border, Senator Cruz said.

Construction continues on a new, taller version of the border structure in Calexico, California. Picture: APSource:AP

“Fourteen billion dollars will go a long way to secure our southern border, and hinder the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and individuals,” Senator Cruz said of his bill in a January news release. “By leveraging any criminally forfeited assets of El Chapo and other murderous drug lords, we can offset the cost of securing our border and make meaningful progress toward delivering on the promises made to the American people.”

Supporters of the wall argue it will deter criminals from entering the US illegally while opponents say the wall would have a minimal impact on the flow of people and drugs into the country.